NDEAM 2026
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
Why we celebrate
In October 2026, we celebrate the 81st anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual recognition of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce. This yearly event began in 1945 as a weeklong national observance of the contributions of people with physical disabilities. In 1988, Congress designated the commemoration as NDEAM, which then evolved to acknowledge the importance of increasing opportunities for people with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions and other nonobvious disabilities, in the workforce. In 2001, ODEP was created and entrusted to administer NDEAM, including the selection and promotion of its annual theme.
Upcoming Events and Webinars
In-person Event
Celebrating Value and Talent
Date: October 27, 2026
Time: 9am to 1pm
Location: Tubman Museum address is 310 Cherry Street, Macon, GA
This free event will feature food trucks and a vibrant community gathering to honor the contributions of people with disabilities in the workforce. Let's celebrate inclusion and talent together!
Webinar Series
Webinar #1: GROWing Recovery in the Workplace: Georgia’s Statewide Initiative
Date: October 6th, 2026, 1 PM - 2 PM
Speaker: Reginald “Reggie” McGruder
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/nAFMb0-0Soevkrx9W_mZIQ
Please join us to learn about all the wonderful employment work our friends at the Georgia Council for Recovery are doing. We will hear from Employment Specialist Mr. Reggie McGruder as he shares his work and insights. The Georgia Recovery-Ready Workplace (GROW) initiative is a statewide program that connects large employers with local recovery community organizations (RCOs) to create recovery‑friendly workplaces (RFWs) that support the full continuum of care for substance use disorders — prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. The initial phase of GROW will work with ten large employers and ten RCOs across the state. You don’t want to miss this opportunity!
Webinar #2: Let Me Do It: Tech-Enabled Supported Decision-Making
Date: October 13th, 2026, 1 PM - 2 PM
Speaker: Angad & Amit Sahgal
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/siwRxSRbQoS6b7IaBWrZIQ
Join us as we learn about an exciting platform developed right here in Georgia! Let Me Do It was founded by Angad Sahgal, an Atlanta-based entrepreneur, and his father Amit Sahgal, after they saw the need for accessible tools that help people with disabilities take ownership of their own decisions through Supported Decision-Making. That need led them to launch the first disability-focused decision-making platform. Let Me Do It is built on a simple belief: we all rely on support to make decisions, whether we have a disability or not. We all lean on the people around us for guidance and advice, and we all use tools that help us act on those decisions. Our platform makes that same ecosystem - and those same tools - more accessible and usable for people with disabilities, while also giving caregivers, direct support providers, and professional service providers a clearer, more connected way to support them.
Webinar #3: Celebrating Value and Talent: A Discussion on Inclusion, Progress, and Growth in Georgia
Date: October 20th, 2026, 1 PM - 2 PM
Speaker: Ginia Taylor & Zac Bradley
Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/AhHd-DumR1ifMEAWU4DJgw
The theme for NDEAM 2026 is Celebrating Value and Talent. Georgia is home to many pioneering leaders whose work impacts daily life through person-centeredness, employment, research, and community living. We are thrilled to host two of these leaders for a webinar focused on bringing the NDEAM theme to life. Ginia and Zac will highlight areas within their work they believe are meeting the standards of inclusion and will provide a critical look at where we still need to grow, collaborate, and improve. Join us for a lively discussion with ample time for Q and A!